ABSTRACT
This chapter will explore the latest research into the interactions between sales and marketing functions. It has been highlighted that the sales and marketing functions are still not working together over key areas because they have developed independent activities that are not necessarily aligned to achieve similar objectives. It is proposed that sales and marketing functions need to collaborate over activities that are mutually beneficial so that they are able to communicate effectively with customers. Shared activities include developing the sales pipeline and the management of the customer journey. They can also jointly develop the value proposition, share market intelligence and plan new product launches. This chapter will review how customers are jointly acquired and retained, and key handover points in the customers’ journey. How customer acquisition is assisted by social media interactions and AI will be explored. The aim is to identify how sales can support each other so that their customer interactions are enhanced and their outcomes improved.
